Also, it may be time for Rasheed Wallace to move on.
Give him credit, without Wallace in 2004 there wouldn’t have been an NBA title, but his act is old.
He’s dragging the team down with him, so it’s time to go.

It seems to en vogue for people in the sports media to defend Flip and ostracize Sheed. But if you listen closely to the players who are now analysts, they will tell you that they see a team that doesn't have sideline leadership (because they can probably recognize it) and that Sheed is a hard case but still a great talent.

It seems to en vogue for people in the sports media to defend Flip and ostracize Sheed.

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To be fair, that article also called for Flip to be fired. But it's an awfully shallow take on Sheed to say that "his act is getting old" and that he's "dragging the team down," because of...one ejection in the playoffs, after he had already fouled out? And with nary a word about his defensive performance.

It seems to en vogue for people in the sports media to defend Flip and ostracize Sheed. But if you listen closely to the players who are now analysts, they will tell you that they see a team that doesn't have sideline leadership (because they can probably recognize it) and that Sheed is a hard case but still a great talent.

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This is the exact same type of stuff we heard from the media last year after Ben decided to leave. The title in 2004 was won with a smothering defense anchored by Wallace X 2. When leadership of the team shifted to Mr. No Big Deal and his enabler Flip Sr., Ben got mad about losing, Rasheed got mad about losing, and both of them got painted as malcontents.

I want to see Chauncey traded this summer, not because I'm using him as a punching bag for all that has gone wrong, but because his value is very high right now, and if Joe can pull of a sign-and-trade, he might be able to get an All-Star talent in return. This run is over, it was over last year when Ben left, and people who think we can pry the championship window back open with a couple of rookies and some minor free-agent acquisitions are just fooling themselves.

Such nice comments, most of this I agree with. Jordan seemed hungry to win during his whole career. I just don't know if Billups can have that edge anymore with the Pistons. How much would you give him in a contract. I'd stop at 12 mil per............

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Right. Joe D should offer CB what he offered Ben. $48 million over four. He could go a little higher but not much.

I feel the same way about Billups as I did about Ben last year: I'd love to keep them on the team, but is that best for the Pistons?

It's one thing to spend big money to keep a championship team together, but the Pistons are not a champion anymore. Giving Billups or Wallace big contracts when the team is clearly declining doesn't make sense, particularly when those contracts would limit the team's ability to make changes.

I don't think the team needs to be blown up, but it needs a serious retooling. The Pistons have a chance to remain contenders if they play this right, so this summer will go a long way in shaping Dumars legacy as an executive.

Great post crumbs. The wheels of change are well in motion, even if we don't want to believe it. Driving with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake just means we will continue to spin our tires.

This offseason is very important, perhaps our most important in several years.

Great post crumbs. The wheels of change are well in motion, even if we don't want to believe it. Driving with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake just means we will continue to spin our tires.

This offseason is very important, perhaps our most important in several years.

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Roscoe, it's true. However, we may be rolling into the next season without any major changes with Sheed Rip Tay and CB starting and the bench of JMax, Flip, Deflino, AJ, and Dup. Hopefully it is not the case.